On 23 September 2025, experts from policy, finance, research, and civil society gathered in Berlin for the technical workshop “Opportunities and Limits of Nature-based Solutions”, hosted by the Fair Finance Institute. The event aimed to highlight and critically discuss the risks and potentials of nature-based solutions (NbS). The focus was on how financing for NbS can be made more effective and equitable, tapping the potential to deliver on sustainable development worldwide, protect biodiversity, and empower people in countries of the Global South. Ecologic Institute’s McKenna Davis opened the event with a keynote address entitled “Nature-based Solutions: More than just green? What counts, what works, and what is missing.” The event was organised with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and support from GLS Bank and Engagement Global as part of an ongoing project.

Join us for a deep dive into the policy and private initiative landscape shaping the transition to a nature-positive economy in the upcoming webinar. The online event will present the project's first key findings and products on 26 June 2025 from 11-12:00 CET.

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, the webinar "Advancing Natural Climate Adaptation: Financing Options for Nature-Based Solutions in Municipalities" took place. The event provided municipalities with practical insights and information on innovative approaches to finance nature-based solutions.

How do we classify which investments are the right ones to power the transition to a climate and nature-friendly economy? This is a pretty big question, and one that is crucial to a successful implementation of the European Green Deal. The EU Taxonomy Regulation specifies the various criteria that investments will need to fulfil to be considered sustainable. In practice, the taxonomy is a long list of economic activities with benchmark performance standards.

The EU taxonomy regulation for sustainable finance has received much attention. As a living document, it requires regular reviewing and updating. So what's next in stall for the policy's development? On 16 January 2023, representatives from politics, industry (financial and non-financial), academia and the civil society came together to discuss exactly that. R. Andreas Kraemer moderated the event that featured an initial impulse from Korbinian Reiter (Kanzlei Redeker) and comments from Silke Stremlau (Hannoversche Kassen) and Sabine Pex (BMUV).

Between 15 and 18 September 2020, Ecologic Institute together with ZOE Institute for future-fit economies and other partners convened a "closed-doors" EU online conference on long-term challenges from the COVID-19 crisis for the EU's economic governance and the implementation of the Green Deal.

On 5 May 2020, the expert workshop "Urban nature-based solutions in Germany – experiences, successes and future challenges" took place online as part of the NATURVATION project. At this workshop, more than 60 experts from policy, administration, practice and research jointly discussed current challenges, need for action and options for a broader application of nature-based solutions in Germany.

On 11 July 2018, the latest edition of the Climate Talk series discuss whether a "green" revolution is underway on the financial market, and how the EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan can benefit Climate Protection. Close to 40 participants contributed to the lively discussion. Sabine Pex (ISS-Oekom), Eva Kracht (BMU) and Karsten Löffler (Frankfurt School of Finance & Management) introduced the topic and sketched their expectations for the future.

This conference looked into the innovative bio-based products sector. It presented key insights on the environmental impacts, investment potential and innovative aspects of selected bio-based products.

In January 2018, the Ecologic Institute hosted a group of students from the University of Maryland for a Seminar on Energy, Climate Change and Options for a Low-Carbon Economy. Berlin was the host city for the first leg of the two-week seminar – followed by a week in Venice, hosted by the Euro-Mediterranean Center for Climate Change (CMCC). In Berlin, Grit Martinez, R. Andreas Kraemer and Benjamin Görlach taught sessions on the basics of climate change and climate policy, on adaptation to climate change, and on the German energy transition. The course was rounded off with an excursion to Lusatia, a coal mining region southeast of Berlin.

Amory Lovins supplied the intellectual DNA for the Energy Transition, notably with his concept of "Soft Energy" and how it promotes peace and prosperity. In recognition of his many contributions, he received the German Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany) on 17 March 2016 at the Federal Foreign Office. Ecologic Institute and the Hertie School of Governance held a reception in celebration of Amory Lovins' achievements the following day.

At a Trade Night on 19 June 2014, Steve Charnovitz shared his views on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and discussed with the audience the vision needed to create a TTIP that reaches beyond a simple trade agreement for reduced tariffs between the US and the EU. Steve Charnovitz is an Associate Professor of Law at The George Washington University Law School.

At an Ecologic Institute Dinner Dialogue on 27 November 2013, Co-founder and CEO of the Rockey Mountain Institute (RMI), Armory Lovins, discussed successes and challenges of the German Energiewende with a group of German energy and climate experts.